Boatlift support bunk setup

[PeteC]

I just got a 2001 26X. I have the good fortune of having a lift to keep it on. I need to set up the support bunks on the lift.

Currently there are 2 longitudinal bunks that are 12 long between the 2 crossbars. I am assuming that flat longitudinal bunks wont work because of the Macs curved bottom.

Should I make supports that match the trailer supports?

Should I add additional supports?

Is there another arrangement that would work for the Mac?

All suggestions are appreciated.

Oh, and thanks for a great forum. It helped me make the decision to get the Mac 26X

PeteC

[PeteC]

I called MacGregor. I told them what I was doing. They didn't offer any suggestions other than to match the trailer. They didn't have drawings of the trailer setup so I will measure it myself.

Maybe I talked to the wrong person there.

How "exact" do you think I need to match the trailer supports? Has anyone built or added supports to a non-Macgregor trailer? Any issues?

Thanks.

PeteC

[Frank C]

... How "exact" do you think I need to match the trailer supports? Has anyone built or added supports to a non-Macgregor trailer? Any issues? ...

You're one of maybe two I've read of that has a boat lift ... you're a lucky guy! The downside is that you'll probably find very little advice on the topic. IMO, exact isn't so important. If I was in your spot, I'd try to add a 4th bunk closer to the transom - the trailer does not extend that far back, but I've always been uncomfortable with that big outboard as a lever on the last trailer bunk.

[Bill Ernst]

I kept my 97 26X (Wobegon) on a lift for two years. I basically matched the bunks on the trailer, I used 2 x 8's and wrapped them in some indoor outdoor carpet for padding. I think they were 10 or 12 ft. long. The lift held the boat very nicely and it even road out quite a storm on the Lake Mille Lacs here in northern Minnesota one time. The wind got up over 60 mph and in the middle of the night. I woke up and went down to the dock to make sure I had it cranked as high as possible and then just waited. What a helpless feeling. The waves eventually built higher and higher and finally ended moving the Mac and the lift downwind about 6 feet away from the dock, and also destroyed the dock. The boat was OK and that was the important result. Next year I put the lift in a harbor on a different Lake and had no problems. Also in the harbor I didn't feel the need to crank it up very far and the bottom sure stays NICE

[PeteC]

Frank C:
I was planning to add a couple extra supports where the lift frame is. I hadn't thought about adding one near the transom, but that is a good idea.

Bill:
The previous owner had a large (11,000 lb) boat on this lift that survived hurricane Isabel last Sept. I may need to add the water ballast if another hurricane comes.

PeteC

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

I'm thinking about a lift myself, getting tired of scraping barnacles out of the CB trunk!

I'll bet if you put a couple long longitudinal supports (front to back) like you see with most powerboats, it would give the hull even more support than the three latitudinal trailer points.

[PeteC]

I don't know that straight longitudinal bunks will work. The bottom of the Mac is curved.

I copied the Mac trailer bunks. I added another bunk as well. Maybe someday I will make some drawings to add to the Mods page.

I have lifted the boat with full ballast to check for leaks. I didn't notice any hull stress problems. The holes for the speed/depth finder were leaking.

I will fill the ballast if a hurricane is going to hit.

[PeteC]

I see Tony posted a mod that showed some pictures of his trailer.

<http://macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin/mod ... record=435>

You can see that the bunks flex somewhat to match the bottom contour. If I had seen these pictures I might have done my lift bunks longitudinally, as it would have been easier to build. I like the way the bunks support the back of the boat better than the Mac trailer (and my lift).

So far though I have had no problems with my lift bunks.

Thanks Tony!